


The Crimson Petal

by Zurenika



Series: Tales from Nightless City [1]
Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Gen, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23446597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zurenika/pseuds/Zurenika
Summary: Welcome to Nightless City - where magic and technology meet. A place where humans, vampires, mages and any other creature are welcome--------------------------------------------A peek at Nightless City's most popular flower chain and the people behind it.
Series: Tales from Nightless City [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1686715
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	The Crimson Petal

Taeyang still remembers the first time he watched a flower removal.

He was 15 then, a bundle of teen angst and gangly limbs, hovering uncertainly in front of the room. His father finally allowed him to witness it and he was both excited and nervous.

"What are you still doing out here?"

Taeyang whipped around as his father approached. "I-i..."

"Well?"

Taeyang took a deep breath and placed a hand on the door, pushing it wide open.

The candles surrounding the room barely flickered as they made their way inside. The room was bare save for two wooden tables at the center of the room, a small one where some herbs and jars were placed and the other, a long, wide one where a man lay unconscious.

He quickened his steps but was instantly held back by a hand on his wrist.

"Taeyang-ah,"

He stopped and looked at his father. "Are you forgetting something?"

_Oh. right._

Taeyang scanned the wooden flooring, the candlelight just enough for him to make out a pattern on the smooth surface. He walked around it and finally-

_There!_

He bent down and traced the final runes to complete the array. As soon as both ends were connected, the circle emitted a soft light displaying the intricate combination of spells engraved on the floor.

"Be careful now," his father warned.

"Oh please, father, it's not like-"

Taeyang stepped inside the array and almost lost his balance. Thankfully, his father gripped his elbow, steadying him.

The air inside the circle was charged with magick, old and powerful magick that caught him off guard. His skin was tingling and he shivered involuntarily.

His father looked at him, eyebrows raised. "I'm fine," Taeyang muttered, taking the last few steps towards their client.

The man's skin was already sallow and there was blood on the corner of his lips. Taeyang observed the rise and fall of his chest, noting the wheezing whenever he inhales.

Taeyang grabbed the man's wrist carefully, feeling his pulse.

“He’s only got a few hours left,” Taeyang stated, glancing at his father.

“Very good,” his father nodded. “Are you ready?”

Taeyang closed his eyes, focusing his thoughts. He took a deep steadying breath.

"Yes," he replied.

His father reached out and unbuttoned the man’s dress shirt, exposing his chest. He looked up at his son expectantly.

Taeyang ignored the nerves that are eating at him and traced the sigil on bare skin, muttering its intention as he did so.

_Seeing that which ails the heart._

Having finished, he placed his palm at its center and pushed down. A jolt of electricity ran up his arm, causing him to jump backward.

With the sigil activated, the extent of the illness was finally revealed.

They could no longer see the man's heart as his entire chest was filled to the brim with petals. Looking closely, he was able to pick out the flower buds already in mid-bloom.

“You know what to do next?” his father asked.

"Clean the area, look for the seed and extract it as carefully as possible," he recited methodically, meeting his father's gaze.

The other nodded, giving him a soft smile. "Now watch carefully, Taeyang-ah." he said as he placed his hands on top of the man's chest.

Taeyang had read the books, had listened to his uncle and his father talk about the operation for most of his life but this would be the first time that he'll actually see it happen.

His father started with the petals, which took quite a long time before moving on to the flower buds. After that was done, they finally had a clear view of the stem, thin black tendrils wounding its way around the lungs and the throat leading back to the heart.

"Can you see it?"

Taeyang nodded.

The black tendrils traced back to tiny little circles on the man's heart - the seeds. They're no bigger than watermelon seeds and they cover almost a third of the heart's surface.

"Now son, this is the tricky part," his father said. "We have to extract the seeds carefully to make sure that it can still live,"

Taeyang nodded once more and watched as his father worked, carefully melting the tendrils with magick and then removing the seeds with another spell.

After what seemed like hours, his father stepped back from the table and dropped a handful of seeds into one of the jars.

The man's breathing is back to normal, the wheezing sounds gone. It would take a few more hours for him to wake.

"Let's go, Taeyang-ah," his father said, handing him the jar before breaking the array on the floor.

The air snapped around them, the magick dissipating. With a light push from his father, Taeyang went out of the room and headed straight for the garden.

The Crimson Petal has been known to grow the most beautiful flowers in the city of Nevernight. The Yoo family a well-respected name in the flower business. And as Taeyang carefully sowed the seeds on the starting tray, he couldn't help but smirk,

_The Crimson petal is such a fitting name._ he thought

Especially since it's no secret that the Yoo family also specialize in other things.


End file.
